by Aden Lowe
I stopped off briefly at the church when I saw Kyle's car in the parking lot and let him know things were going well so far, then went on to the store. The baby slept through the excursion, to my surprise, and Ian behaved himself. The promise of choosing some snacks on his own kept him agreeable. I saved that aisle for the end, and let him pick two items. I hoped it would be okay to make extra portions of the meals for us, instead of having to make another whole meal every time. We made it back to the ranch in plenty of time to unload everything and start getting things ready for dinner.
While Ian took his nap, I found a vacuum and put it to use in the living room, started a load of laundry and mopped the kitchen floor. Johnathan hadn't given any indication what time to serve dinner, so I went with my instincts and aimed for six o'clock.
The baby played on the floor and Ian watched cartoons on the TV in the living room while I cooked. I hoped they all liked the things I knew how to cook. Apparently, my guess about the timing turned out right, since they all trooped inside at six. I got everything on the table as they washed up, then scooped up the baby and prayed Ian would stay put.
Johnathan sat and gave a critical look at the pork chops. "Looks good." He nodded toward Ian. "You and him already eat?"
"Um, no, we'll get something later." I bit my lip.
Ian chose that exact moment to plaster himself to my leg. "Momma, I hun'ry."
Johnathan grunted. "Nonsense. There's plenty of food and room at the table. Grab the plates, Jake."
Jake hurried to comply and put the two plates and flatware next to his chair, along with a glass of milk for Ian. I sat gratefully and dished out our portions.
"From now on, you'll eat with us, unless you have other plans. There's no need making the little man wait." Johnathan put more mashed potatoes and gravy on my hungry son's plate. "Dig in, li'l man. You got some growing to do."
It was all too much. Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes and threatened to spill over. When did I become so emotional? Before, nothing fazed me, and I never let anyone see how I felt.
"You okay, Ande?" Jake looked at me with concern.
I nodded and smiled through the threatening tears. "Thank you all for making us so welcome. I wasn't sure, with the kids…" I trailed off and swiped the moisture off my cheeks. "Anyway, thank you."
Johnathan studied the baby for a moment. "Sam, there's a high chair in the attic from when you were little. After supper, go up and get it. Clean it up real good and bring it in here. Little miss will need it soon. There's a crib and some other stuff up there too. Ande, you take a look tomorrow, and anything you want to use, the boys will bring down."
This time, the tears refused to be held back, and I couldn't speak.
"Think of it this way, Ande-girl. You're saving us from starving to death. Least we can do is make things a little easier for you." Johnathan's dark eyes twinkled like he might even smile, but he turned back to his food first.
The rest of the meal passed with the men talking about their work for the day and plans for the next day. I listened attentively and kept Ian quiet. After they finished, they all cleared their space.
"Come on, Ian. Bugs Bunny's on." Sam took Ian's hand and led him over to the living room and settled in a big recliner with him.
Jake started water in the sink again. "I hope that's okay?" He nodded toward Sam and Ian, where they debated the merits of Bugs and Elmer. "Sam's a big kid himself."
I smiled. "This is so much more than I expected. You all are making us feel part of the family. We've never had that before."
He raised a brow. "You weren't close to your family?"
The memories turned my stomach and I hurried to push them away. "No. They didn't approve of my choice of husbands and disowned me before Ian was born. I avoided my husband's family. I should have known the apple wouldn't fall far from the tree." I shivered a little at the memory. "Anyway, I'm all the kids have ever had. This means a lot to me." I couldn't believe how gentle and kind these men were with my kids.
"You're still married to him?" Jake's gaze searched my face.
I nodded. "I've filed, but he refuses to sign. He says I can't keep his kids from him, but they aren't safe near him. He always got mad when Ian played and made noise, or if he cried. I can't trust him not to hurt them."
Anger flared in Jake's dark eyes. "Man like that don't deserve a family." He dried the dishes in silence while I washed. As soon as everything was cleaned up and ready for the next day, he excused himself and went outside.
It took some coaxing, but I finally convinced Ian to come with me to the little house. I needed to get the kids bathed and in bed before I dropped from exhaustion. It had been a long day. Once I found a routine, it wouldn't be so tough, but the first few days were going to be a challenge for all of us. Ian kept rubbing his eyes sleepily.
Chapter Seven
Jake
As soon as I was out of earshot of the house, I dialed Kyle's number.
"Hey, Jake. Things working out with Ande okay?" He would sound cheerful at doomsday, I was pretty sure.
"Yeah, really good. She even won Dad over. But I have to ask, what do you know about her ex?" Common sense kept telling me to mind my own business, and I waved it away stubbornly.
He waited a beat before replying. "Why are you asking?"
"Because he's an asshole who needs a dose of his own medicine and I'm going to give it to him. He won't even sign her divorce papers." Anger rolled over me all over again.
"While I agree with you, I can't give you that information. Ande would be upset if either of us interfered." All that calm logic fell on deaf ears.
"I don't care. She needs to be clear of him. I can make that happen." My hands ached to close around the fucker's throat.
"Jake, I really have to advise against this."
"Don't care. Either you tell me, or I'll find it another way." By this point, my annoyance at the preacher threatened to become real anger too.
He gave a sigh. "Look, if she finds out I told you, I'll deny everything. Understand?"
"Yes, perfectly." I couldn't blame him. I suspected a pissed off Ande would be formidable and I had no desire to find out for sure.
He told me what I needed to know. "Don't get yourself in trouble, Jake."
"I won't." I hung up, and immediately dialed another number. "You remember you owe me, right?"
Manny grunted. "Of course. How could I forget when you remind me every couple of weeks?"
I grinned. I met Manny in the Army and saved him from a serious ass-kicking, even if he was some kind of big-city thug in real life. We stayed close after we got out. "I need something."
"Of course you do. You always do." He chuckled. "I let you kick one motherfucker's ass for me, and you hold it over my head forever."
"That's how life works, man." I explained to him about Ande. "She needs to be clear of the asshole as soon as possible."
He grunted again. "She yours?"
"What? No. She just works for me." Even I had to admit, the idea held some appeal, though. If she were mine, I could make sure nobody ever hurt her again.
"Bullshit. You forget who you're talkin' to, man. You got it bad for this chick. Let me give you some advice. Walk away now. Women are nothin' but trouble." He shushed somebody in the background. "But give me the asshole's info. He'll sign for her, or she'll be a widow. I don't care, either way."
I gave him the name and address Kyle had given me. "Let me know when it's done, yeah?"
"Of course." The line went dead and I took a deep breath of relief.
I shouldn't get involved, or drag anybody else into Ande's life, but I couldn't stand the thought of her being tied to this man just so he could terrorize her some more. The thought of what somebody like that might do to Ian and little Janna made my blood roar in my ears. I walked around the house to calm myself, double checking that everything was secure for the night and taking in the stars. God, I loved the night sky out here away from everything.
&nbs
p; Light glimmered in the living room window of the little house, surprising me for a moment until I remembered Ande was there. I hoped she was settled in okay. Maybe I should check to be sure.
No. Just no. Leave her be.
My feet led me up onto the porch and my knuckles rapped at the door, all against my will.
The door opened to a sleepy looking Ande. "Oh, Jake. Hi. Did you need me to do something in the house?"
I shook my head. "I was just checking that everything was closed up for the night and thought I'd check and make sure you have everything you need." Fuck, I felt like a fool. She thought I wanted her to work more after she'd already put in a full day and then some.
"That's sweet." Her soft, drowsy smile made things turn over in my chest. "We're good for the night at least. The kids were so tired they fell right to sleep. Would you like to come in?" She stepped back a little, revealing her skimpy tank top and shorts.
"Uh, no, I'll leave you to it. Just wanted to be sure you're okay." Damn. Every cell of my body begged me to accept her invitation, but even I knew how big a mistake that would be. She worked for us. I couldn't get tangled up personally, and neither could my brothers. "Goodnight."
"'Night, Jake." She closed the door softly after I turned away.
The whole walk back to the house, the flashes of creamy skin and full curves I'd caught when she stepped back haunted me. The things that body could do to a man didn't bear thinking of, or I would never get to sleep.
A cold shower did absolutely nothing for me, so I ended up going to bed hard and frustrated. When I finally did fall asleep, I dreamed of a set of perfect bow lips, flashing eyes, and legs that went on forever. All Ande's. I woke before my alarm went off, tired and cranky and still horny. Taking care of it myself did nothing but fuel my appetite for her. Did my brothers think of her this way? Jealousy spiked through me. No. They couldn't. And I couldn't let that kind of thinking get in the way of work and family.
I stomped out to feed the horses we kept up in the barn before breakfast. Today, I had two young stallions to get under saddle. It promised to be a bruising day, considering they both were habitual kickers.
By the time I came back inside, Ande stood over the stove, her face flushed from the heat as she worked. I washed up and helped myself to some coffee, then leaned against the counter watching her.
She gave me a nervous glance. "You've already been working?"
I nodded over my mug. "Yeah, the horses eat before I do. No big deal. You're already working too."
She smiled. "True." She stirred something then turned the heat off. "Did I hear your dad say you're working with horses today?"
I grinned and explained. "So you're liable to see me get my ass dumped numerous times today if you look out the window."
She laughed and started putting food on platters as my brothers and Dad came in. "Breakfast is ready, guys. Is there anything special you'd like done today?" She took her own seat at the table as we sat down.
Dad looked around. "Where are the kids?"
She held up a white plastic rectangle. "Still asleep. I brought the baby monitor. I'd rather them not be up at the crack of dawn."
He nodded. "Makes sense. Just do what you think needs doing. You accomplished a lot yesterday." I could tell from his tone he was impressed she'd managed to do so much in so little time.
I put my two cents in. "Make sure you take breaks, too. We're not interested in working you to death." Dad nodded agreement.
"I will. I thought I'd catch up laundry today. Did any of you want your beds changed or your rooms straightened? I don't want to overstep."
We all glanced at each other. None of us had considered this woman might be in our private spaces. Dad cleared his throat. "I think the boys can take care of their own rooms. They don't need to get in the habit of having everything done for them." Whew. Sam's porn collection alone would scare the poor woman off. We all gave grateful nods.
"We can put our laundry in the hall for you. That way you don't have to search for it." Sam's overly helpful tone said he was as concerned for his porn as I was.
"That'd be great, but I'm willing to do it. Just say the word."
Dad took a long drink of his coffee. "Don't forget to go in the attic and see what's there you can use for the kids. Jake will be around here all day, so he can help. You're working those two stud colts, right Jake?"
"Yeah. I'll be out at the barn so just holler when you're ready to go up there to look. Nobody's been up there for years, so hard telling what we'll find." None of us had the heart to take any of Gramma's stuff up there.
Ande nodded and took her empty plate to the sink. "Will you guys be in for lunch? I'll make something if so."
"Don't go to any extra trouble. We usually come in at different times and just get sandwiches." Dad gave us all a warning look. Interesting. It seemed like he wanted to make things as easy as possible for Ande, too.
It hadn't occurred to me that Dad might be interested in her the same way I was. My hackles went up at the thought. No. He was too old for her. Old enough to be her father. I gave him my own warning glare, which he met straight on.
He cleared his throat. "Ande, I've told the boys I won't tolerate any of them disrespecting you, and that you're here to work and cook, not warm their beds." He stood. "I just wanted you to know that, and to know you won't be pressured that way." He took his dishes to the sink and left with all of us staring after him.
Chapter Eight
Ande
The morning passed quickly in a whirlwind of work and kids. And the whole time, I watched out the window as Jake worked with the horses and reflected on Johnathan's words. Gratitude filled me. That had been my first misgiving about taking a private job. Bosses often expected favors not outlined in the job description.
Honestly, though, I wouldn't mind giving Jake a few favors. My skin practically sizzled every time he came near me. Last night, when I opened the door to find him standing on the porch, I almost thought he felt the same thing, but then he refused to come inside and just left. The attraction was obviously only on my side. I should expect that, though. One of the few things I'd learned about the Quick men was that they were all gentlemen, despite their rough demeanors. None of them would put me in a position of feeling coerced. If anything, they would do the exact opposite.
"Horsey, Momma!" Ian spotted Jake and one of the horses out the living room window. "Wanna see!" He bolted for the door.
I grabbed his wrist as he went by and slowed him down long enough to grab Janna on our way out. "You can look quietly, Ian, but no getting close unless Jake says. That isn't the same horse as yesterday."
We stopped by the fence to watch as Jake stood there, face to face with the horse. He'd taken his shirt off at some point, and sweat and dirt painted the contours of his body. The horse heaved, just as sweaty and hot. Making a soft sound, Jake leaned forward until his forehead touched the horse's, and they stood there like that for a long moment, almost as if they were holding each other up. Suddenly, Jake stepped back and raised his arms. The horse flung his head up, but didn't take a step. Jake moved close again, praising him with touches and soft words. Fascination held me there in silence.
Finally, Jake looked our way and grinned, then walked past the horse, patting his side as he did. "Hey there, Ian. How's it going?"
"Horsey!" Ian wasn't interested in conversation.
Jake's gaze settled on me. "How's your day going, Ande?"
I smiled. "Good, but I should be asking you. It looks like you've been working hard." I nodded toward the horse.
He shook his head. "I have to win that jug head's trust every time I start to do anything with him. He'll make a good steady mount one day, but not soon."
"So you can ride him now?"
He laughed. "That's a matter of degree. I can sit on him and he'll go when I ask. Just not where and how I ask yet." He glanced back to Ian. "Hey, kiddo, you wanna pet the horse?" Ian lit up and reached his arms up for Jake to lift him.
I stayed at the fence and trusted Jake to keep my son safe. I'd never done that before. Never, in his life, had I trusted another human to keep Ian safe. I couldn't take my eyes off this beautiful man and the way he held my child so close and secure, and spoke to him in a patient tone. Was this how men were meant to treat children? Ian certainly thought so. He took in every word with a solemn expression and his face practically glowed when Jake praised him for the way he touched the horse.
They came back over and Jake set Ian on my side of the fence. "Give me a few minutes to cool him off and put him up, and I'll come inside if you're ready to check out the attic."
"Okay, that sounds good." I would have lingered to watch, but Janna started to fuss and the horse didn't seem to appreciate the sounds.
Inside, I made an impromptu decision to prepare a lunch for the guys. Tuna salad should still fall into the 'grabbing a sandwich' category. Besides, Ian liked it better than cold cuts. I got Janna settled with her bottle and let Ian help me stir. We finished just as a drenched Jake came inside.
"Jake go swimming?" Ian immediately keyed in to the water.
Jake laughed and wiped water from his eyes. "No, buddy, I was really dirty, so I figured I'd better wash up before I came in and messed up all of Momma's hard work." He dried off with his shirt, then dropped it in the laundry basket by the machine.
I chuckled and brought lunch to the table. "Here, dig in. You must be starved."
He assembled his tuna salad sandwich as Ian looked on, munching on saltines with tuna. He took a bite and his eyes practically rolled back in his head. "Ian, your Momma's a good cook. Always thank her for making you good stuff to eat."
Ian gave a serious nod. "Thank you, Momma."
I dropped a kiss on his head. "You're welcome, big guy." Janna let out a wail loud enough to wake the dead and I rushed over to see what was wrong. She was a good baby and rarely even truly cried. Just as I picked her up, she vomited all over herself and me.
